Kandi was worried. Living in rural Cambodia with serious health problems in 2000, it was hard to find good medical care. Left by her husband to raise her children alone, Kandi was relieved to find a couple whom God had sent to meet her at this time.
The couple had studied Kandi’s language and listened carefully to her. They prayed with her and referred her to the Mercy Medical Center where more of God’s people offered low-cost medical care to the very poor. Here, Kandi heard more of Jesus and the perfect sacrifice given for all people.
Kandi’s people are Cham. They can be found in nearly every province of Cambodia, generally where large river systems are located. Cham people originated from the ancient Champa kingdom in present-day Vietnam. Due to conflict with the Vietnamese long ago, the Cham migrated west in large numbers to Cambodia and became the Western Cham: their current population is approximately 400,000. Remnants of the original Cham continue living in Vietnam and are known ethnically as the Eastern Cham (about 80,000 people). Very few Cham have heard or understood who Jesus is.
In 2000, God nudged one of his servants to begin to pray weekly for the Cham to come to faith in Jesus. Another woman joined her. In 2014 there were ten or more believers from different countries joining to pray for the Cham. It continues today and is the key to the Cham journey to faith in Jesus. Today, through this guide, we will add hundreds of thousands to that number, praying for the Cham.
It was many years later when the above-mentioned couple met Kandi again. God had answered their prayers by healing her. She had also become a true believer in Jesus, together with her son, and her husband had returned. Kandi had many questions that other people asked her about her faith that she didn’t know the
answers to. So the couple encouraged her to begin a Bible study in her own village, starting with her family. So the journey of the Cham towards faith in Jesus goes on!
LET’S PRAY
- Pray for Kandi and her son to grow in their faith and for the rest of her family and village.
- Pray for the ongoing translation of the Scriptures in their heart language.
- Pray for a movement of Cham people to faith in Jesus.
Post credited to the editors at Worldchristian: visit http://www. worldchristianconcern.org/donate to support mission efforts to reach the unreached for Christ.
